Cameron Smith may have won the Tournament of Champions with a record score but it was the performance of Jon Rahm that caught my eye.
Aussie Smith pipped Rahm by a shot after finishing 34 under par in Hawaii to win the opening PGA Tour event of the year.
The winning total surpassed the previous PGA Tour record of 31 under, set by Ernie Els in 2003.
The Kapalua course is normally very windy but the benign and soft conditions played into the hands of the players and it was always going to be a really low-scoring week.
In some ways, it can be just as intriguing to watch the top players on a course like that where they know it is imperative to make a plethora of birdies every round to compete.
It is the opposite of a US Open where players are working hard to grind out pars on a really tricky course.
A completely different challenge for the players and one that is good to watch occasionally but certainly not every week.
It made for a nice change and world number one Rahm looked in the mood for the start of the season.
He may have fallen just short of making a winning start to 2022 but he is a player who is going to win multiple majors.
There is so much to like about his swing and his game.
I honestly think he could win 10 majors during his career.
He claimed his first major at last year’s US Open and I expect him to be firmly in contention in the big events this year.
His temperament was called into question a few times in the past but he seems to have worked on that.
He is such an aggressive player and a great putter, which is the perfect combination.
Cameron Smith stayed hot for each round @Sentry_TOC.
33rd ➡️ 3rd#ComcastBusinessTOURTOP10 pic.twitter.com/taMJI4H8Xl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 10, 2022
It will be fascinating to see what Rahm does in 2022 as it could be the year that he really takes his game to the next level.
Cameron Smith produced a birdie blitz to win the tournament and he will hope to build on that early confidence booster.
I’m in Dubai getting ready for my first tournament of the year – next week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
I was ill with Covid last month and it hit me quite hard. It is only in the last couple of days that I have started to feel back to full strength.
I am on the road for six weeks now as I will play the next three events in the United Arab Emirates and then the Qatar Masters.
That will be followed by defending my title at the Hero Indian Open so hopefully I can pick up some form over the next few weeks and head there feeling confident.
A perfect appointment
Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie has joined the European Tour board and it is a great appointment.
Paul will bring a player’s perspective to proceedings but he will offer the board so much more than that.
He has got a very good business acumen and he is someone who knows how to run tournaments, golf facilities and a golf foundation.
Paul’s input will complement the other people on the board, such as Martin Gilbert, who can bring their own expertise and experience.
The key to a good board is balance and Paul will help bring that because he has been on the European Tour tournament committee a couple of times.
He is running his own Tartan Pro Tour and he is still heavily involved in golf.
I think he will do very well in that position.
A positive move
This year’s US Women’s Open will have a prize fund of $10million – nearly double last year’s total.
The announcement, made possible by the ProMedica being brought on as the first ever sponsor of the event, was warmly welcomed.
It is a step in the right direction and I expect it won’t be long before the prize funds at the majors are the same for the men’s and women’s events.
Tennis has paved the way with equal prize money and I hope we see the same in golf, especially with the majors.
Women’s golf is becoming increasingly popular and the prize funds are only going to better.
I think they deserve it because they are just as good players as the men.
Best wishes to Stricker and Colsaerts
I was shocked to hear the news about Steve Stricker and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Stricker, the USA captain, spent weeks in hospital after leading the Americans to victory in the Ryder Cup.
He said he felt lucky to be alive after spending two stints in hospital after suffering from inflammation around his heart.
He reckons the stress of the Ryder Cup, leading his country in his home state, was a contributing factor to his ill health.
I know he would have put everything into leading the USA team and he masterminded an unbelievable win.
I want to thank everyone for all the love and well wishes that I’ve received today! It was a tough go for a while but I’m definitely getting better. I’ve got a ways to go but look forward to getting back after it when I get the ok! pic.twitter.com/iLotjmI3h8
— Steve Stricker (@stevestricker) January 8, 2022
He said he has lost a huge amount of weight and he feels very weak.
I wish him a speedy recovery. He is one of the nicest guys I have ever played with. He is a real gentleman.
Hopefully he gets back to full fitness and we see him back out on the course as soon as possible.
Nicolas has also gone through a very tough time recently. I am on the European Tour tournament committee with him and he sent a message to the group on Monday.
He was admitted to hospital after going to see a doctor because he was suffering from swollen ankles and it turned out to be a rare kidney disease.
He is only 39 and just a young man so hopefully the treatment he is receiving will get him back to full strength quickly.
He said he is going to keep us updated and I wish him all the best.
